Cold Ashes
by Ce'Nedra-DryadPrincess
Summary: *Based after Last Sacrifice* Twins, Annalissa and Arielle have just had something dumped on them. They are forced to live at the Court with the Queen Valissa and Lord Christian and Princess Jill who doesn't like them at all. They attend school at St. Vladimir's Academy, have to deal with Royal's and also have to try to juggle a relationship. As well as fighting Strigoi attacks.
1. Chapter 1

I looked out the window and watched the two black cars pull up in the drive way. Who are these people? We never get visitors...mainly because no one knows about us. I jumped off the window seat and grabbed my cardigan and flicked my long black hair out of my face. I had to tell Annalisa. I ran out of my room and straight next door where she was still asleep in bed. Her black hair fanned out on the blue pillow, her mouth slightly parted open, breathing softly. I sighed and shook her gently. She groaned and her electric blue eyes fluttered open.

"Arielle?" She sat up slightly but I pulled back her covers and yanked her out of bed. "Arielle what's wrong?" She hissed as I threw her cardigan at her and then grabbed her hand and began walking out of the room. "Arielle if you don't tell me what's going on right now I'm going to—"

"Someone's here Anna." I told her, she stopped walking and gripped my hand tighter.

"What? What if they're—"

"That's exactly why we're getting out of here." I told her and she nodded her head and took a deep breath before we began walking again. We ran down the first flight of stairs and made it to the first floor. The front door began to open as we ran down the last staircase to get to the ground floor.

"Elle? They're inside the house..." Anna whispered beside me, I silenced her and continued to walk down the steps, my bare feet hitting the carpet floor hard. We made it down the last stair and we were in the lobby part of the mansion. I could hear voices coming from around the corner and I didn't want to waste time trying to find out if they were evil or not.

"Elle where are we going to go? The only place is around the corner..." I looked around and saw that Anna was right. God I was so stupid! Why didn't I think of that? I didn't think! I turned around and ran straight into someone. They yelled out, I yelled out, Anna yelled out and suddenly I was thrown on my back.

Hard.

"Ow! Get off me!" I yelled and tried to throw punches at the person sitting on top of me but the grabbed my wrists and pinned them to my sides.

"Get off her! Leave her alone!" I heard Anna yell from the side, I turned my head to see her getting restrained by a tall man in dark clothing.

"Rose! Get off her!" I heard a voice yell sternly from behind us. The person sitting on top of me, Rose I guessed, sighed and looked at me. Her exotic features stood out from her eyes up close, her dark brown almost black hair was tied in a braid to keep her hair off her face and she, much like the tall man holding my sister, she was wearing dark clothing too.

_Guardians._

Rose stood up off me and I scrambled back away from her like a crab.

"You can let her go too Dimitri..." A male voice said, I turned around to see the tall man, Dimitri, let go of Anna who rushed over to me and cuddled into my side.

"Who are you?" I yelled and the group of people in front of us. A tall and slender blonde Moroi girl stood forward and Anna gasped then bowed her head.

"I'm so sorry, Your Majesty! Please forgive us!" She rambled on, I stared at her like she was an idiot and then looked back up to the blonde Moroi in front of me, then realised who she was. It was Queen Valissa Dragomir.

"Oh crap..." I mumbled and stood up and dusted myself off before curtsying and then helping Anna up.

"Hello." She said that one simple word held so much power and grace I felt as though I needed to shrink away.

"Good Morning Your Majesty, I'm so sorry about what happened before we thought you were—"

"You thought we were Strigroi didn't you?" Rose said from her position next to Lissa. Anna blushed ferociously and looked at the floor. "It's alright...we understand you had to take a precaution. Especially since what happened to your parents, years ago," Dimitri said, I turned and looked at him.

"What do you mean our parents?" I gripped Anna's hand closer towards mine, "Our parents had nothing to do with Strigroi, they died in a car accident." I snarled at him. Lissa stepped forward and placed her hand on my shoulder. I felt her spirit flowing through me, calming me down.

"Annalisa, Arielle. We need to tell you something." She said her tone serious and stern. Her emerald green eyes were hard and cold. I nodded and we walked into the living room.

"So what is this all about?" I said once everyone was seated. Dimitri and Rose stood but Lissa, Christian Ozera and Adrian Ivashkov sat down on the couch facing my sister and I. I looked Adrian up and down and he winked. I grimaced and turned to Lissa.

"Why is he here?" I pointed to Adrian who gasped and acted hurt, "I mean I understand Rose and Dimitri I mean they're Christian and your guardians but Adrian's just your cousin." I said, Anna gave my elbow and hard pinch signalling me to shut my mouth but I didn't care. Just because she was Queen doesn't me she's not just like a normal Moroi like me.

"He's here because he's close to me." Lissa said, looking down at me, I shrunk into the seat and glanced at the wall.

"Um, Excuse me Your Highness—"

"Call me Lissa"

"Ok...Excuse me _Lissa_ But um...can we get back to the topic of this conversation?" Anna asked shyly. I saw Lissa smile at her and nod her head.

"Well...I guess there is no other way to but this besides say it out loud." Christian said, speaking for the first time. I turned my attention to him as did Anna.

"You're my sisters."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two  
**  
My jaw dropped to the ground as I watched the guy sitting in front of me. "You can't be serious!" I said and looked between Lissa and Christian.

"Listen Arielle we understand why you may think that but we believe that your parents are Christians." Lissa said looked deep into my eyes, I shook her gaze off me and stared out the window.

"How do you know that?" Annalisa asked from beside me sitting up straighter, I rolled my eyes at her and scoffed.

"Well...we believe that the night Christian's parents, decided their fate...your mother gave birth to you both but wasn't ready to tell Christian. So they hid you away and then chose to become..." I shook my head at her.

"Our parents died in a car accident. They didn't choose to become the very evil thing that hunts us." I told her, I saw a flash of anger through Lissa's eyes but she took a deep breath.

"You two both have the exact same features that Christian has. The black hair, the piercing blue eyes, the same nose..." My hand went to my nose as I ran my fingers over it gently and Lissa sighed, "Anyway...the point is...You two are the last remaining Ozera family that still holds a title. Christian is Lord because we are married."

My eyes flicked between Christian and Lissa and I saw her cheeks flush with a slight pink colour and Christian smiled widely at her.

"You two are now...I guess...Princesses..." She said and smiled at Annalisa and I.

"And...I would like you both, to come with us and go to St. Vladimir's Academy for your schooling but during the holidays you will come and live in the Court with us."

Annalisa grabbed my hand and held it in hers. Her bright blue eyes were full of hope and shining with tears. "Are you actually saying that..." She looked at Christian who smiled at her, "That we actually have a family to belong to?" Christian nodded his head along with Lissa and Anna jumped out of her seat and threw herself at Christian who stood up just in time to catch her.

Anna was crying and I could see that Lissa had tears of joy streaming down her face.

"Ok well now that the family reunion is over we need to start leaving." Rose said from her position next to the door.

"Wait so we're leaving to the Court now?" I asked getting up from my seat and folding my cardigan around me, realising that I was still only wearing my boxer shorts and singlet. Rose nodded her head and Annalisa grabbed my hand.

"Come on! We have to pack!" She giggled before she pulled us away from the couches and towards the door.

"Oh, don't pack too much, I'm going to be buy you girls clothes when we get back to the Court so you can be dressed appropriately...seeing as your in the Royal Family..." Lissa said with a small smile. I couldn't help but smile back at her.

We ran up to our rooms and I found my suitcase under my bed and began to throw clothes in it then realised I needed to get dressed first. So obviously I was going to be going to the Court first seeing as the school year hadn't started yet...so I went for something preppy and sophisticated. I walked out of my room, dragging my suitcase with me and bumped into Dimitri.

"Oh...sorry..." He smiled at me and grabbed my suitcase off me.

"It's alright. Everyone is waiting for you downstairs." He said and began walking down the stairs. I knocked on Annalisa's door and walked in to find her sitting on her bed finishing her braid in her hair.

"You ready?" I asked as I leant on the door. She nodded and grabbed her handbag.

"I can't believe we have a family now..." She said and linked her arm through mine as we walked down the stairs.

"I know...it's unnatural..." I said, Anna grabbed my hand and squeezed it as we met up with everyone downstairs.

"Ready to go girls?" Christian asked, we nodded our heads and walked out of the house and lifestyle we might never see again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The car ride back to the Court was long, quiet and painful. I was seated next to Adrian who constantly kept trying to make moves on me until Rose told him to leave me alone. Christian and Annalisa didn't stop talking the entire time either. I still don't really understand how we could be related at all but I guess that's not really up to me to decide.

The Court was just as beautiful as they all say. I saw the castle and suddenly felt sick in my stomach. I was meant to be a princess of this place? Hell I don't even know how to get an animal to obey me...

"You'll be fine." I heard a voice in my ear, I turned around to see Dimitri smiling at me. I smiled back weakly and then turned back to the front to see Adrian staring at me.

"Jeez!" I said clutching my chest that had rapidly sped pace. "What are you doing?" I was seriously getting annoyed by this guy.

"Nothing...I'm just looking at the resemblance. You look like Christian but you look like someone I know...I just can't put my finger on it." He said and then poked my cheek; I slapped his hand away and shifted closer to Anna.

Christian was looking at me with a smirk on his face and I shook my head.

"Your friend is the biggest creep in the world." Rose behind me laughed loudly and Adrian sent her an evil glare.

"Looks like she's not into you buddy." Christian said leaning across Anna and I to pat Adrian on the knee, which Adrian slapped his hand away.

The car ride finished at the steps of the castle and the door was opened by two guardians. I saw four more at the exit and three more off to the side. _Jeez they like protection huh?_ The doors opened and a girl around my age with brown hair and freckles came running out.

"You're back!" She gave Lissa a small hug before throwing herself at Adrian. I raised an eyebrow as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground.

"That's Jill...Lissa's half sister..." Anna whispered into my ear as she laced her fingers through mine.

"Really?" I whispered back, looking at Adrian and her through the corner of my eye, "Are those two like...a couple?" Anna giggled and shook her head.

"No they're just really good friends I think." I gave a shrug and we followed Lissa inside.

We got introduced to a few Court members and a few Royals before we got shown to our room. It was down the hall from Jill's and upstairs from Lissa's and Christian's.

"So seeing as we found you guys there is going to be a ball held in your honour." Christian announced sitting down on my bed.

I tripped over the leg of the chair and fell to my knees, "What?!" I did not sign up for this!

"Really? That's so cool!" Anna exclaimed clapping her hands together.

"I'm not giving a speech." I said standing up and placing myself on the chair.

"You don't have to," Christian said standing up, "It's just basically a night to show you off."

"Oh that sounds _lovely_" Christian gave me a look but continued on with what he was saying.

"You'll be introduced as Princesses Annalisa and Arielle after Jill and then you'll have to dance a bit with a few Royal's then you just mingle and eat." I gave a sigh and held my head in my hands.

"This is so confusing..." Annalisa walked over to me and knelt down in front of me, she took my hands away from my face and held them in her hands.

"We'll be fine. We can get through this." Christian came and stood behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We all will."

After an hour of feeding on the human that came to our room we had to go and get ready for the ball. We were giving red, floor length strapless dresses and tiaras.

"I feel like such a princess!" Annalisa gushed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, the tailors all agreed with her, giving her compliments and telling her she looked like one.

"Really? I feel like a clown?" I said looking at my own reflection. I felt like a geeky girl who was wearing a dress too big for her and the tiara kept slipping down every time I looked down.

"No! Elle you look amazing!" Anna said as she leapt over to me she grabbed my hands and stood beside me. "We both look like Princesses. You especially." She said before giving me a small hug. I smiled at her and shook my head.

A knock on the door interrupted our little moment and the door was opened to reveal Rose.

"Time to go," She said, we both walked over, holding hands and stood in front of her. "You guys look so amazing." She gave us a hug before leading us downstairs to the entrance into the ballroom where loud chatter and soft chamber music could be heard. Christian and Lissa where standing in the front then Jill and Adrian followed behind them, I guessed that we would stand behind Jill and Adrian.

"You girls look so beautiful." Dimitri said giving us a smile. Anna thanked him and then linked her arm with mine. My stomach was in knots and doing back flips. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment.

"Elle...I'm really nervous..." I looked to my left to see Anna looking like a dear in headlights, her eyes wide and a sweat breaking out on her head which was very unusual for a Moroi.

"Don't worry...we'll be fine..." I said just as some Royal we met earlier came rushing over to us.

"Dad what are you doing here?" Adriana asked as the snowy white haired man walked to Lissa and Christian.

"I need to speak with you two."

"But Nathan we're about to walk out." Christian said but Nathan shook his head.

"You can't."

I raised an eyebrow and was about to say something when Jill stepped forward.

"Why not?" Nathan looked at her and sighed before taking a deep breath.

"We have reason to believe that Annalisa and Arielle aren't the biological daughters of the Ozera's."

My jaw dropped as did everyone else's.

"How is that possible?" Rose said coming forward; Nathan glared at her before turning his attention back onto Lissa.

"We're running a DNA test at the moment and won't get the results until tomorrow but we think that the girls aren't related to Lucas Ozera at all."

"Why do you think this? Seriously how can you make that assumption?" Christian said defensively. Nathan took a deep breath and ran a hand through his white hair.

"There was a video tape of Moira Ozera in a club 10 months before she turned into a Strigoi." Christian scoffed.

"Ok wow she was in a club, where's the real proof."

"She ended up hooking up with someone and we believe that she may have had intercourse with them."

Ok EW. Way too much information.

"Christian...it sounds pretty legitimate..." Rose said and then sighed, "Send everyone home then."

"Already done."

"What?" Jill yelled suddenly, "You already told everyone to go home?" Nathan looked at her if she just magically appeared and hadn't been standing there this whole time.

"Yes and?"

"How come you could have just taken the twins and let everyone else go to the party?" She said placing her hands on her hips. I had a feeling she was pissed. I didn't like how she somehow was blaming this all on us but anyway.

"No because we need the Queen and the Lord." Nathan said sounding bored.

"So! Why could Adrian and I go out?"

"Jill! Stop it!" Lissa snapped, her eyes flashing a fierce green. Jill sulked back into the confides of Adrian's arms and glared at me.

"We will set up a meeting tomorrow morning when we have the results to talk about the twins." Nathan said before walking away. Lissa and Christian turned around to face us and Christian shrugged.

"Sorry girls." Anna gave him a small smile.

"It's alright." Christian shook his head and then started to make his way up the stairs.

"No it's not but it's out of our hands." He took the crown off his head and held it in his hands before sighing and continuing up the steps and disappearing out of sight.

"I'll see you two in the morning." Lissa said before following him. Jill gave us a glare before following in Lissa's direction and Adrian walked the opposite direction of everyone and walked out into the ballroom.

"Come on; let's get you two to your rooms." Dimitri said and walking us up the steps. The walk was quiet and short but as we came to a stop at our door Anna turned around and looked at Dimitri.

"Does Jill hate us?" The question took him by surprise and his facial features showed it.

"I'm sure she doesn't—"

"Well she sure doesn't seem to." I mumbled and he shook his head.

"I think she's just confused, just as everyone else is. Plus I'm pretty sure she really wanted to go to the ball." Anna sighed and nodded her head before walking into the room. I looked at Dimitri one last time before following her into the room.


End file.
